The full title of the book is “De Romanorum magnificentia et architectura” (Della magnificenza ed architettura de’ Romani). In general the book is about the beauty and the architecture of the Romans. We can also say, it’s about the beauty of the roman architecture. The title is directed the one’s, who are criticising this architecture.
In the beginning there are some illustrations. They are like inviting you into the book, to read and study it. Then there is a very long part with no pictures but only text. Whereby on a double page usually one is written in Latin and the other in old Italian. After this section in the ending segment there are again pictures and only pictures. Illustrations of columns, houses and other architecture themed things.
There is a list of contents, in the book it’s called index, after the text part and before the pictures. There is also one in Latin and one in old Italian. The list of contents is arranged alphabetically.
The pages have the size of an A3 and is pretty heavy. Some pages can be unfolded one to four times. Which gives the images on those pages more importance. All of the pictures in the book have been drawn in insane detail.
The author of the book is Giovanni Battista Piranesi (Ioannis Baptistae Piranesii). He was a copper engraver, archaeologist, architect and architectural theorist. In this book he was continuing a debate in which they were compering the Greek art and architecture to the one of Rome. He argues in favour of the Roman.
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